The name Foicy came to England with the ancestors of the Foicy family in the Norman Conquest of 1066. The Foicy family lived in Northampton. The name, however, derives from the family's place of residence prior to the Norman Conquest of England in 1066, Vassy,Normandy. One of the first records of the name was Robertus Invesiatus, Lascivus which appeared in the Domesday Book[1]CITATION[CLOSE]Williams, Dr Ann. And G.H. Martin, Eds., Domesday Book A Complete Translation. London: Penguin, 1992. Print. (ISBN 0-141-00523-8) in Essex[2]CITATION[CLOSE]Reaney, P.H and R.M. Wilson, A Dictionary of English Surnames. London: Routledge, 1991. Print. (ISBN 0-415-05737-X). Other records show the name was originally De Vesci, which was a baronial name, a branch of the De Burgh family.

Early Origins of the Foicy family

The surname Foicy was first found in Northampton where Robert de Vassy (Veci) and his brother Ivo were granted nineteen Lordships in that county and overlapping into Warwick, Lincoln, and Leicester, by Duke William of Normandy, their liege Lord, for their distinguished assistance at the Battle of Hastings in 1066 A.D. Ivo (John) won the hand of Alda, daughter of Gilbert, Lord of Alnwick in Northumberland and the family claim considerable prominence as the Lords of Vesey from which Lords Fitzgerald and Vesei claim descent.

Early History of the Foicy family

This web page shows only a small excerpt of our Foicy research.Another 407 words (29 lines of text) covering the years 1296, 1313, 1500, 1589, 1661, 1462, 1554, 1674 and 1746 are included under the topic Early Foicy History in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.

Foicy Spelling Variations

Multitudes of spelling variations are a hallmark of Anglo Norman names. Most of these names evolved in the 11th and 12th century, in the time after the Normans introduced their own Norman French language into a country where Old and Middle English had no spelling rules and the languages of the court were French and Latin. To make matters worse, medieval scribes spelled words according to sound, so names frequently appeared differently in the various documents in which they were recorded. The name was spelled Feasey, Feasy, Fessey, Fassey, Fessys, Fressis, Veasey, Vassey, Vassy, Vesci, Vezey, Vezay, Vesey, Vessey and many more.

Early Notables of the Foicy family (pre 1700)

Another 33 words (2 lines of text) are included under the topic Early Foicy Notables in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.

Migration of the Foicy family to Ireland

Some of the Foicy family moved to Ireland, but this topic is not covered in this excerpt.Another 59 words (4 lines of text) about their life in Ireland is included in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.

Migration of the Foicy family to the New World and Oceana

Because of this political and religious unrest within English society, many people decided to immigrate to the colonies. Families left for Ireland, North America, and Australia in enormous numbers, traveling at high cost in extremely inhospitable conditions. The New World in particular was a desirable destination, but the long voyage caused many to arrive sick and starving. Those who made it, though, were welcomed by opportunities far greater than they had known at home in England. Many of these families went on to make important contributions to the emerging nations of Canada and the United States. Analysis of immigration records indicates that some of the first North American immigrants bore the name Foicy or a variant listed above: Andrew Veasey settled in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania in 1876; William Veazie settled in Massachusetts in 1640; Nathaniel Feazey settled in Somers Islands in 1662.

The Foicy Motto

The motto was originally a war cry or slogan. Mottoes first began to be shown with arms in the 14th and 15th centuries, but were not in general use until the 17th century. Thus the oldest coats of arms generally do not include a motto. Mottoes seldom form part of the grant of arms: Under most heraldic authorities, a motto is an optional component of the coat of arms, and can be added to or changed at will; many families have chosen not to display a motto.